Vegan chocolate cake

Name: Vegan chocolate cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 300 ml unsweetened soy milk; 1 tbsp finely ground/milled chia seeds; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp instant coffee powder; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 150 g vegan spread (such as Vitalite or Flora 100% Natural, melted); 3 tbsp agave nectar; 175 g caster sugar; 35 g cocoa powder; 300 g self-raising flour; 200 g dairy-free dark chocolate ((about 45% cocoa solids)); 250 ml plant-based double cream alternative (we used Elmlea Plant); 1 tbsp agave nectar; 90 g vegan spread; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tbsp unsweetened soy milk; 2 ½ tbsp cocoa (sifted); 180 g icing sugar (sifted); 4-8 tbsp vegan amaretto; 6 tbsp good quality black cherry jam ((see Tips))

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Vegan chocolate cake

Our vegan chocolate cake is dairy-free and egg-free and comes with a vegan buttercream, amaretto and jam filling, and is covered in a gorgeously silky ganache. It’s stop-you-in-your-tracks good!

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Prep Time 40

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 50

Servings: 12

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

300 ml unsweetened soy milk
1 tbsp finely ground/milled chia seeds
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp instant coffee powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
150 g vegan spread such as Vitalite or Flora 100% Natural, melted
3 tbsp agave nectar
175 g caster sugar
35 g cocoa powder
300 g self-raising flour
200 g dairy-free dark chocolate (about 45% cocoa solids)
250 ml plant-based double cream alternative we used Elmlea Plant
1 tbsp agave nectar
90 g vegan spread
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp unsweetened soy milk
2 ½ tbsp cocoa sifted
180 g icing sugar sifted
4-8 tbsp vegan amaretto
6 tbsp good quality black cherry jam (see Tips)

Method

Heat the oven to 160°C fan/ gas 4. Line the base and sides of the cake tin. In a large jug, whisk together the soy milk, chia, lemon juice, coffee powder, vanilla, melted spread and agave nectar. Set aside for 5 minutes (don’t worry if it looks curdled).
Sift the sugar, cocoa and flour into a large bowl. Pour in the wet mix, whisk with a balloon whisk until smooth, then spoon into the prepared tin, smoothing the top. Bake for 45 minutes, then cover loosely with foil and cook for 25-30 minutes until springy to the touch and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack for an hour, then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely.
For the ganache, put all the ingredients in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted or microwave on a medium heat for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave somewhere cool until it begins to firm up – this may take a few hours. To cool it faster, put the bowl in a larger bowl filled with iced water. Stir every minute or so to ensure it doesn’t get too firm – when you lift out the spoon and gently let a little ganache fall back onto the mix, it should briefly form a visible line (ribbon) on top.
For the buttercream, use an electric mixer to beat the spread until pale. Whisk in the vanilla and soy milk to combine. Add the cocoa and icing sugar, then beat until pale and fluffy.
To assemble, use a sharpknife to cut the cooled cake into 3 layers. Drizzle the cut side of each layer with 1-2 tbsp amaretto. If you have time, put the drizzled layers in the freezer for an hour to firm up and make assembling/decorating easier.
Spread the top of the bottom and middle layers with half the buttercream each, then add half the jam to each, spreading thinly until about 1cm from the edge. Stack the cake layers using the undecorated one as the top, then transfer to a serving plate.
Use a palette knife to spread the ganache on the sides so they’re well covered, then pile and swirl the rest on top. Leave the cake in a cool place for a few hours until firm enough to cut.

Notes

See Tips for details on black cherry jam.